Things to Think About and Do in 2011: Influence

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Influence

I’ve noticed lately how much I impact my own day. I’ve recently moved and with that came much packing, unpacking, home improvements and decoration. Fabulous, darling! However, if I don’t look at what I’m doing or think one step ahead, then something falls off the table, I buy the wrong size, forget something at the store, something doesn’t fit however hard I try to squish it, and the cupboard needs un- and re-packing (if it hasn’t been squished for good). Far from fabulous, darling! If simply having a trouble-free, ‘no rework’ day requires constant concentration and discipline, what does excellence require? Constant concentration and discipline, plus the belief that you can make improvements.

I’ve come to believe that excellence is not a state, but a journey. The picture of excellence changes over time, but the journey to get there remains the same and it always energizes. It’s continual improvement.

A company that survives must to things well and strive to do it better tomorrow. It takes continual improvements from people in every department and all levels to achieve this. In 2011, I’ll be thinking about how to notice and congratulate others when they have done something that energizes them, however small, for “continual” tends to happen in small steps and people are better at improving things when they feel positive. I’ll be working at a level that’s tangible to me (small and basic!), but hopefully this will help those with whom I come into contact today improve something else tomorrow, and maybe I can positively impact someone else’s day as much as I influence my own.

—Claudia Faye